Mobile auxiliary furniture



Oct. 25, 1960 Filed Jan. 21, 1959 M. T. BARRETT MOBILE AUXILIARYFURNITURE s Sheet-Sheet 1 I6 IS A Fig. I. Q l5 IS A\ la 22 gm l6; l5 l5INVENTOR.

MICHAEL T. BARRETT L m rm; .2

ATTORNEY Oct. 25, 1960 M. T. BARRETT MOBILE AUXILIARY FURNITURE FiledJan. 21, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 25 MICHAEL I BARRETT Oct. 25,1960 BARRETT 2,957,185

MOBILE AUXILIARY FURNITURE Filed Jan. 21, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTOR. M/CHAEL Z BARRETT BY W B- V a/M ATTORNEY Uniteci States PatentMOBILE AUXILIARY FURNITURE Michael T. Barrett, Box 58, Estes Park, Colo.

Filed Jan. 21, 1959, Ser. No. 788,169

7 Claims. (Cl. -59) This invention relates to furniture and moreparticularly to mobile auxiliary furniture adaptable for use inconjunction with an associated article of furniture, such as a studiocouch, bed or the like.

Articles of furniture which may be used alone or employed in combinationwith other articles of furniture may serve various different functions.For example, beds are commonly convertible into davenports and viceversa, while associated structures for use therewith may provide acabinet or shelf for placement of various articles. It is also customaryto provide, in a headboard for disposition at one end of a bed, shelvesor a cabinet structure. However, the presently known auxiliary furnitureis either stationary in relation to the bed or forms a part of a bed;thus, it is not movable relative to the bed and especially is notmovable across the top surface of the bed into different functionalpositions, in particular positions extending the length of the bed.

Among the objects of the present invention are to provide auxiliaryfurniture for convertible use either alone or in combination with a bedand the like without altera tion of the physical arrangement of theparts forming the furniture; to provide auxiliary furniture useful incombination with a bed and the like and so constructed and arranged asto be displaceable into various relations to the bed and the like andparticularly for conversion to a number of difierent functional uses; toprovide mobile auxiliary furniture adapted for placement eitherlongitudinally or transversely in relation to a bed and the like, and ineither relation adapted to be movable relative to the bed in such a wayas to provide either a bolster or back rest for the bed, and alsoprovide a shelf, or further displaceable to provide a table, desk or thelike without the necessity of adjusting or manipulating the partsconstituting the auxiliary furniture itself, other than to move it intoa desired position; to provide such auxiliary furniture which isparticularly useful in converting a bed into a studio couch or the likeand vice versa; and to provide such auxiliary furniture which is readilyconstructed and effective in use.

The above and additional objects, as well as the novel features andadvantages of the present invention will become apparent from thefollowing description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. l is a front elevation of a preferred form of auxiliary furnitureconstructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the auxiliary furniture of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section, on a reduced scale, taken along line 33 ofFig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a typical use of the auxiliaryfurniture of the present invention, used with a bed to provide a sofa ordavenport in a furniture assembly;

Fig. 5 is a perspective View illustrating the furniture assembly of Fig.4, with the auxiliary furniture providing a desk or shelf for the bed;

Fig. 6 is another perspective view illustrating the furniice tureassembly of Fig. 4, with the auxiliary furniture providing a table andthe bed providing a seat for the persons using the table; and

Fig. 7 is an additional perspective view, illustrating a further use ofthe furniture assembly of Fig. 4, with the auxiliary furniture providinga bolster for the bed.

Referring to the drawings and particularly the illustrative example inFigs. 1 to 3, inclusive, a preferred embodiment of a piece of auxiliaryfurniture A, constructed in accordance with the present invention, mayinclude spaced, vertical end supports, as in the form of panels 10 and11, an elongated rearwardly inclined partition in the form of a panel 12connected at each end to the respective end panels 10 and 11, and ahorizontal partition preferably in the form of a panel 14 coextensive inlength with the inclined panel 12, the panel 14 being connected at itsends to the respective end panels 10 and 11 and in addition beingconnected along its forward edge to the inclined panel 12. Casters 15 orother suitable means for movement of the auxiliary furniture A may beprovided, if desired, and as shown, may be mounted on i identicallyproportioned, so as to support the inclined and horizontal panels 12 and14 at a desired height above the floor and also to provide the mostpleasing appearance and decorative effect. In construction, the panels Iare formed of a suitable material to provide rigid frame v 22 and 23.

members, such as wood, plywood, or metal if desired and may be providedwith strips along or around the edges to add strength, such as strips 17around the edges of end panels 10 and 11, as in Figs. 4 and 5, or otherdecorative strips, such as strips 18. The upper forward edges 19 of theend panels 10 and 11, as also shown in Figs. 4 and 5, are convenientlyinclined upwardly and rearwardly to extend generally parallel to theinclined panel 12. In order to establish optimum flexibility in use,both the inclined and horizontal panels 12 and 14, respectively, are ofa length somewhat greater than the length of a conventional bed and aresupported by the end panels 10 and 11 at a height so as to permitdisposition just over a mattress on the bed, and preferably with thelower edge of the inclined panel 12 adjacent the mattress so that aportion of the bed may be slid rearwardly under the panels. The inclinedbut generally upright panel 12 provides a combination back rest andbolster and to this end has a depth and inclination to provide acomfortable back support, with a resilient pad or cushion 20 secured tothe front surface. Panel 12 is secured at each end to the inside of theend panels 10 and 11, as by means of corner brackets 22 and attachingscrews or the like rearwardly of the upper inclined edges 19 of thepanels, so that pad 20 is flanked at each side by the end panels, asshown more clearly in Figs. 4 to 7, inclusive. Each of the cornerbrackets 22 is preferably divided to permit extension of the front edgeof the horizontal panel 14 into direct contact with the rear surface ofthe inclined panel 12 at a height to serve as a table or shelf. Thepanel 14 is also permanently connected at its ends to the inside of theend panels 10 and 11 by suitable means, such as brackets 23 and also maybe similarly or suitably connected along its front edge to the inclinedpanel 12, as by screws extending through panel' 12 into panel 14, sothat the cross panels form mutually supporting members. In addition, aswill be evident, any of various bracing means may be utilized to connectthe various panels together, such as tongue and groove connections orattachment ledges in lieu of the bracketsor sofa.

invention with a bed B, conveniently a bed of the Hollywood. typeandincluding an upper mattressportion 24 andi.,a..lo'w.er.baseportionZS,which may be provided with springs in a conventional manner. In theseapplications, the inclined panel .12 may serve broadly either as aback-rest or bolster for the. bed andat the, same time the horizontalpanel 14 may constitute. a shelf, or a desk or table. together soconstructed and arranged as to mutually support one another for use inanumber of different positions to perform varied functions without the.necessity of altering the physical arrangement of the parts comprisingthe auxiliary furniture. More specifically, vin Fig. 4 there'is shownthe. auxiliary furniture A used in combination with bed 'B to convertthe bed into a couch Preferably, the inclined panel 12 together with theassociated pad 20 is positioned at a height inrelation to the bed B suchthat 'the upper mattress portion 24 of the bed will approximatelycontact the loweredge of the panel 12, and is of a length such that theend panels and 11 will extend beyond the ends of the bed in order thatthe auxiliary furnitureand bed may be moved transversely in relation toone another. Thus, the auxiliary furntiure A may be positioned so thatthe, rear edge of bed B will be beneath the inclined and horizontalpanels to occupy a position such thatthe exposed mattress portion willform a seat and the pad a comfortable back-rest. In this position, thehorizontal panel, 14 is rearwardly disposed and hidden from view, butforms a convenient shelf or stand for placement of various articles,such as lamps, books or the like.

In Fig. 5, the auxiliary furniture A is shown with the horizontal panel'14 facing one side of the bed and this position may be produced easilyand quickly merely by sliding the auxiliary furntiure A forwardly alongthe width of the bed from the position of Fig. 4 to the position of Fig.5. In this location, it willbe evident that the horizontal panel 14 mayform a writing table or desk, while the bed B forms a seat for theperson using the panel 14 as a desk or table. Also, in either of theabove positions, the panels mutually cooperate to support one another.Thus, when the inclined panel is in use as a back-rest, as in Fig. 4,the horizontal panel 14 will of course resist much of the force appliedagainst the panel 12-and will prevent the panel 12 from bending unduly,notwithstanding its relatively long length. When the horizontal panel 14is in use, and with the panels 12 and "14 connected along their lengths,the horizontal panel 14 will not only be supported at the ends, but alsosupported against bending downwardly throughout its lengthby theinclined panel 12. a

As shown in Fig. 6, the horizontal panel 14 is easily convertible foruse as an eating table, wherein the bed B may be used again as a seatand due to the length of the assembly will accommodate a number ofpeople therealong. Of course, theauxilia-ry furniture is also adaptablefor separate use as desired, and it will be evident that a chair orchairs may be used in place of the bed.

In Fig.7 is illustrated one relative disposition between the auxiliaryfurniture A and bed B when it is desired to use the bed for sleepingpurposes. In this case,.the inclined panel 12 may serve as a bolster, ifdesired, while the horizontal panel 14 again will form a convenienthidden shelf behind the bolster. Moreover, theauxiliary furniture A maybe readily placed in this position by sliding the same rearwardly fromany of the positions shown in Figs. 4-6 until the forward lower edgeof'the pad 20 is located just above one side of the mattress portion 24.

Although not shown, it will be apparent from the foregoingthat theauxiliary, furniture A may alsobeturned Moreover, the panels 12 and 14are as to serve either as a back-rest for a person lying in bed, or bymoving it to a forward position, to serve as an eating table, desk orthe like. In addition, cabinets or partitions may be substituted for thehorizontal panel 14 so long as they are formed to serve as a sturdysupport for the inclined panel 12; and furthermore, the auxiliaryfurniture may be located in many different ways and positions to performvarious functions other than the specific functions describedabove. Aswill be evident, variations may be made in the disposition and design ofparts depending upon the intended use, and, in this connection, it is tobe understood that the foregoing particularization is for purposes ofillustration only, and that many changes inthe construction and designmay be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentinvention.

What is claimed is:

1. Auxiliary furniture adapted for use in combination with a bed and thelike, comprising a pair of upright supports spaced apart a distancegreater than the length of the bed; a horizontal panel extending betweensaid upright supports; an upwardly and rearwardly inclined paneldisposed forwardly of said horizontal panel and extending between saidend supports, said horizontal panel being disposed at an elevation atleast as high as the lower edge of said inclined panel, the lower edgeof said inclined panel being at a position approximately the height ofsaid bed; means connecting the ends of said horizontal and inclinedpanels to said end supports; and means interconnecting said horizontaland inclined panels, said horizontal and inclined panels thereby-servingto mutually support one another.

2. Auxiliary furniture as defined in claim 1, wherein the upper frontedge of said end supports are inclined upwardly and rearwardly in adirection corresponding to said inclined panel. i

3. Auxiliary furniture as defined in claim 1, wherein said inclinedpanel is provided with a cushion member extending across the frontsurface thereof.

4. Auxiliary furniture, comprising a pair of upstanding, movable endsupports; an elongated, inclined panel including a pad on its front andhaving a length to span the length of a bed and the like, said inclinedpanel being connected at each end to said end supports and incliningupwardly and rearwardly and having an elevation in'relation to the topsurface of the bed so as to form either a back rest or a bolster memberfor saidbed; and an elongated horizontal panel connected at its ends tosaid end supports and at its forward edge to the rear side of saidinclined panel, said horizontal panel being adapted to form either ashelf or table member, said horizontal panel and saidinclinedpanel.being disposed to mutually support one another. a

5. Auxiliary furniture as defined in claim 4; wherein said end supportshave upper forward edgesinclining upwardly andrearwardly" adjacent tosaid inclined, panel, said inclined panel being. connected to said endsupports rearwardly of the inclined edges of said. end supports in 1parallel relation thereto sothat'the portion of said end supports'forwardlyof said inclined panel define lateral supports forthepadonsaid inclined panel;

6. Auxiliary furniture adapted for main combination witha bed and thelike, comprising a' pair'of upright supports spaced apart a distancegreater than the length of the bed; a horizontal panel extending betweensaid upright supports; an upwardly and rearwardly .inclined paneldisposed'forwardly of said horizontal panel and extending between saidend supports, said horizontal panel being disposed at an elevation.intermediate the upper and lower edges of said inclined panel and thelower edge of said inclined panel being at a position approximately theheight of said bed; means connecting the ends ofsaid horizontal panel tosaid end supports,

1 at least a portion of said means also connecting the'ends of saidinclined panel to said end supports; and means and moved to extendacross the width of thebed, so interconnecting said horizontal panel andsa d. incl ned panel, said horizontal and inclined panels therebyserving to mutually support one another.

7. Auxiliary furniture, comprising a pair of upstanding, movable endsupports; an elongated, inclined panel including a pad on its front sideand having a length to span the length of a bed and the like, saidinclined panel being fixedly connected at least at two spaced points oneach end to said end supports and inclining upwardly and rearwardly, thelower edge of said inclined panel having an elevation with respect tothe top surface of the bed so that the bed may be moved between said endsupports from one side of said auxiliary furniture to the other side;and an elongated horizontal panel connected at its ends to said endsupports and at its forward edge to the rear side of said inclinedpanel, said horizontal panel being adapted to form either a shelf or atable member, said horizontal panel and said inclined panel beingdisposed to mutually support one another.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 102,265,671 Quadr-i Dec. 9, 1941 2,555,776 Alschnler et al June 5, 19512,630,581 Ziegenfuss Mar. 10, 1953 2,694,207 MacEachron Nov. 16, 1954

